If I Ever Stop Laughing, I'm Dead
by x-aj-x
Summary: 5 years after Deathly Hallows, George catches someone paying their respects, but why? ONESHOT DH SPOILERS


-1This is my one-shot in memory of dear old Fred Weasley. Why he had to die, I will never know (

AND THIS IS IN NO WAY CONNECTED TO 'FOR GOOD' OR ANY OF MY OTHER STORIES.

It's just for Fred.

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**If I ever stop laughing, I'm dead**  
A Tribute to Fred Weasley

It had been five years. And every year, I kept coming back. Every year, putting the same flowers, on the same grave, on the same day, at the same time.

I never knew why. It's not like he could sense them there, I guess it was my way of letting myself know at least that I wouldn't forget him. How could I? No one could, even if they wanted to.

He was so noticeable. I remember at Hogwarts, he didn't even know me for the longest time, but somehow I felt he did. I guess his pranks made everyone feel included. It might seem weird but they made me feel special. Like I wasn't a target of a malicious trick, but more like I was being let in on an opportunity to cheer people up. Their pranks were always meant for laughter, never for tears.

I stepped on a twig and heard it break as I approached the grave. I knew his family would be here, later on, and I never once had intruded upon their grieving. They had enough to deal with without me pestering them with my presence. I don't know that they would understand why I came every year anyway. I reached the grave and looked down. There it was, the same as it had always been.

His name of course, and his birthday. I'd always found it ironic that such a prankster happened to be born on April Fool's Day, but it was fitting, of course. Who else deserved the honor of having such a notoriously fun day as their birthday besides he and his twin?

But it was the epitaph I found so intriguing, becuase it was so Fred. It was exactly what his life motto would have been, had he ever had one.

_'Against the assault of laughter, nothing can stand.'_

Of course, of course that was Fred. George too. What else had they done during their years at Hogwarts if it hadn't been assuaging any pains we went through as a school with laughter? What about the year of Umbridge, when it was them who helped us through so much by making us laugh, laugh at her, and laugh at Filch? No, maybe Fred hadn't been a savior in the proportion that Harry or Dumbledore had been, but he lightened so many hearts.

"I always wondered who left Fred flowers every year." A voice said from behind me. I smiled sadly.

"Hello George."

George. He had been so torn up about Fred's death, probably more than anyone, even Mrs. Weasley. It was like a part of George had been ripped from him. For awhile after his death, George would sometimes look to his left and open his mouth, like Fred was going to materialize there and they would have one of their famous Weasley twin banters.

But he never did. And after a few months George realized this. He also realized that he couldn't not live his life. He and Fred had made it their mission to make people laugh, to make people happy, whether during dark times or not. So George became determined to live his life to the fullest, living enough for himself and his dead brother, producing enough laughter from others for the both of them.

It was exactly what Fred would have wanted.

"I'm glad someone remembers Fred other than his fmaily and close friends." George said, stepping next to me.

"Everyone remembers, George. Fred... isn't the type of person many want to forget." I said. He nodded.

"I mean though, it's nice of you to come, every year. It must be inconvenient. It would mean a lot to Fred." He paused. "It does mean a lot to Fred."

I smiled. "It's not a problem at all. It's.. a small token of appreciation."

"If you don't mind me asking, why? I never thought you and Fred were particularly close, I mean, no closer than you and myself." George's eyes hadn't stayed from the tombstone since he arrived, but at that moment I saw them flicker over to me.

"We weren't close. I mean, compared to you or any of his other friends, not at all. But Fred, and you George, you too, you both, I don't know, affected me." I paused, "I mean we weren't friends for a long time, only since my 4th year and even then I'm sure you wouldn't have considered me your friend." He opened his mouth to protest but I stopped him, "No, no, it's okay. I understand. But I considered you guys my friends."

"You guys, I saw you, so different. Like me. But unlike me you guys were so... peaceful with it. You were okay with the fact that you were different. You actually thrived on it, I think. And not only were you okay with you being different, but you were okay with me being different. You guys just accepted me as me. Not as a weirdo or a freak or a nutcase like everyone thought I was. I was so jealous for the longest time. I wanted to be like you. I wanted to be okay with myself."

"I wanted to love myself and my life like you guys loved yours."

George smiled and put his hand on my shoulder. My eyes filled with tears.

"Maybe that's why I come. It seemed so unfair that Fred should have died when he was so full of life, and loved every second of it. And then there was me, a little girl who never fit in and couldn't figure if she wanted to or not. I couldn't love myself, but somehow I loved Fred. Not romantically, but I loved his life as much as he did. I cherished him and the laughter and hope he gave everyone. It was so unfair. So unfair."

I paused and choked back a sob. George handed me a tissue and I looked up at him to see his eyes glistening with tears as well.

"And that's why I come every year. Because you guys taught me how to love being different and to love myself, and I feel the least I can do is love Fred's life for him when he can't."

George pulled me into a hug, and it was okay for a bit. We stood there for a while, and everything was okay. I was okay, he was okay, and Fred was okay.

He pulled away and held out his arm. "Breakfast?" He said cheerfully through a watery smile.

I smiled back and pushed my hair out of my face, feeling the old radish earrings I had worn so long ago move with my hair.

"Of course."

And with that, George Weasley and Luna Lovegood walked arm and arm down the hill and out of the graveyard, knowing that they understood each other, and they understood Fred.

As they left the graveyard, a slight breeze blew through the grass, and if anyone had been there, they could've sworn they heard a laugh, a laugh that hadn't been heard in five long years. A laugh that no one would ever, ever forget.

A laugh of someone who loved his life, and taught a small girl to love hers too.

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BAAAAH, I think this is cheesy. But whatever, I love Fred ) So, like it or hate it?

REVIEWW!


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